Internationalisation of the South African public higher education sector : 1994-2001.

Abstract:

This exploratory study investigated diverse facets of internationalisation at selected public
higher education institutions in South Africa during the period from 1994 to 2001. The central
aim of the research was to explore the responses of the South African public higher education
sector to international student influx in the immediate post-apartheid era, a period
characterised by the rapid restructuring and transformation of the sector.
The study was undertaken with the rationale to address the gap in the research literature on
internationalisation in general, and student mobility in particular, with specific reference to
South Africa. An exploratory study of this nature could also inform higher education policy
makers and was deemed to be appropriate at a time when South Africa had rejoined the
international community after years of isolation.
In seeking a conceptual framework for this research, a multi-disciplinary approach was
pursued because globalisation and internationalisation are concepts that cut across several
disciplines. The conceptual framework was thus informed by debates about globalisation and
internationalisation, migration theory, international relations, political economy and higher
education. Insights and knowledge from these theoretical perspectives were analysed and
synthesised to formulate a plausible framework for the emergence of South Africa not just as
a new global destination for international students, but also as one of the top 10 host nations
in the world and the leading host country on the African continent.
A two-phase or mixed-method research design was adopted for this study. Both qualitative
and quantitative research methods were used in a complementary fashion. Five institutional
case studies were selected as a snapshot of the (public) higher education sector in the
immediate post-apartheid period between 1994 and 2001. In addition, the actions of other
influential bodies and role players such as the Department of Education, the Council on
Higher Education, the International Education Association of South Africa, the South African
University Vice-Chancellors’ Association, the Committee of Technikon Principals and
student formations were critically examined. The institutional case studies as well as research
participants were purposefully selected on the basis of predetermined criteria, as explained in
the methodology chapter. Primary and secondary data were gathered from the above
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institutions, staff and students using documents and semi-structured individual and focus
group interviews. The interviews were transcribed and content analysed manually in order to
generate emerging themes upon which the conclusions are based. In addition to institutional
data, national data on international student enrolment trends also informed the findings of this
research.
Alluding to the findings, a variety of responses by South African (public) higher education
institutions to international student influx between 1994 and 2001 are apparent. Whereas
some institutions, mainly the larger, historically advantaged universities were more proactive
and consciously decided to internationalise by adopting internationalisation policies and
putting in place structures such as International Offices, other institutions, more specifically
the smaller historically disadvantaged institutions, were unable to deal with
internationalisation to the same extent and rather focussed on addressing the more pressing
national higher education imperatives. While the responses of institutions within the South
Africa (public) higher education sector have been diverse, reflecting their unequal historical
legacies and future visions for strategic growth and development, it is argued that for the
South African higher education sector to be more beneficial as a resource to the country, the
Southern African region and the continent at large, a holistic, integrated national policy
framework on internationalisation is required.